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'State is coming.' Erekat
Photo: AP
'Doesn't want deal.' Lieberman
Photo: Yossi Zamir

Erekat on Lieberman plan: No partial state

Chief negotiator rejects FM's plan for Palestinian state on 50% of West Bank land, says it proves Israel doesn’t want peace

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat rebuffed Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's plan for a Palestinian state in provisional borders in order to block international recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

 

Speaking to Ynet on Sunday, Erekat said a "Palestinian state is coming; this is the reality and Israel should be the first country to recognize this. I don't think Lieberman is interested in reaching an agreement, because a partial arrangement is not the solution. The Palestinian state will not be established on only 50% of the West Bank's land."

 

Lieberman recently drew up an interim peace deal for a Palestinian state on up to 50% of West Bank land, far below Palestinian demands.

 

With US-brokered peace talks at a standstill, Israel has been alarmed in the past two months by a string of recognitions of a Palestinian state by Latin American states, including Brazil and Argentina.

 

Erekat told Ynet he believes Lieberman's plan represents Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position as well. "The Israel government is not headed towards peace, because it is not interested in peace, and this plan is proof of that."

 

The Palestinian negotiator also issued a statement saying, "Lieberman's plan came after the Israelis felt embarrassed and isolated by the international community, which has gradually supported the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. This is why they are trying to turn the ball over to the Palestinian and Arab side."

 

On Friday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas claimed that during George W. Bush's presidency Israel and the Palestinian Authority reached an agreement according to which Israel would recognize east Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, but Israel dodged the former American leader's efforts to implement the understandings.

 

In an interview with Arab television network Al-Jazeera, Abbas said Israel had also agreed that a Palestinian state would be established within the 1967 borders.

 

The Palestinian leader said the collapse of peace negotiations between Israel and the PA could have led to a "popular uprising" or a "Palestinian revolt," but ruled out the possibility of a military conflict with Israel.

 

Reuters contributed to the report

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.23.11, 12:26
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